MEPs Grošelj and Joveva urge flexibility in EU aid to Slovenia
Brussels, 10 August - Slovenian MEPs Klemen Grošelj and Irena Joveva (Renew/Freedom Movement) wrote on Thursday to European Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni to urge more flexibility in the EU's allocation of financial resources to help Slovenia recover from the recent floods.
Ljubljana
MEP Klemen Grošelj (Renew/Freedom Movement).
Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
File photo
The MEPs noted that the scale of the floods was unimaginable and called on authorities to broaden their support in the recovery effort and provide people with the necessary assistance.
"We must help our people in this joint effort and show that the EU is flexible and responsible in providing all available basic assistance to vulnerable communities quickly," the two wrote.
They stressed that in the event of severe natural disasters related to climate change, member states should be able to reevaluate the use of certain funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. In their opinion, it is essential to adapt the national plans for this fund and existing programmes to the urgent needs of the affected member states.
"Providing flexibility to affected member states to redirect a certain amount of funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility to sustainable recovery and climate resilience would be an important step in mitigating the effects of such extreme weather events and strengthening our common response to climate change," they added.
Grošelj and Joveva welcomed Wednesday's visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to some of the flood-affected areas.
Von der Leyen announced that Slovenia would receive EUR 100 million from the EU Solidarity Fund this year and EUR 300 million next year to help it recover from the floods. She also announced maximum flexibility.